NCP needs to grow, don't bow to Cong: Ajit to party ministers

Mumbai: NCP leader Ajit Pawar yesterday asked his party ministers in the Maharashtra cabinet to not "bow" to alliance partner Congress and ensure speedy decision making.

"Raise your voice in the cabinet if files do not move in your department. Don't bow to Congress...People are supreme and work should be done at any cost...Our party needs to grow," Ajit told the 19 ministers at a party meeting here.

"The meeting focused on party building and other organisational matters. Ajit dada had a general discussion relating to issues in the Cabinet to be held today morning," a minister, on condition of anonymity, said.

NCP leader Ajit Pawar. PTI

The minister said it was yet to be decided if such meetings will take place every week.

NCP sources had earlier said that Ajit Pawar, who quit as Deputy Chief Minister last week, will continue to chair the pre-cabinet meetings of NCP ministers.

State unit NCP president Madhukar Pichad, however, denied that yesterday's briefing was a pre-cabinet meeting. "We met to discuss party affairs. There is no remote control on the party ministers," Pichad said.

The cabinet meeting, scheduled to take place today, will review the crop situation and monsoon in the state besides the implementation of cabinet decisions taken in August.

It will be the first meeting without Ajit Pawar as minister and deputy chief minister. He resigned last week following corruption allegations in the irrigation department during his tenure as minister in charge of the department.

Pawar also held portfolios of Finance and Energy before he stepped down.